Mikey was walking down a gravel path after Kira and Jake left. Lexi was allowed to take a break for the training and let the black fire burns heal. Mikey knew it hurt, but Lexi was like a proud warrior, not wanting to admit weakness. Couldn't blame her. A warrior was always taught to keep their pain covered. The waterbender looked up and saw Alexa had come with him.
"Oh, hi." He said, bending water out of the river and into a pouch he carried around. The dark haired girl smiled while picking up roots and herbs and putting them into her medical bag.
"Good morning" she said.
Mikey smiled too. "So what do you think if we made soup? we could use some of the vegetables Trixie brought back." Mikey suggestion after splashing his face with the cold morning water. He shook himself and looked around at the surrounding foliage.
"Wouldn't that take a while, though" she responded looking up from her medical bag.
"Maybe, but if Kira and Jake are going to be gone for a long time, I might as well take the time to make something. My mom taught me how to make soup a long time ago."
"Then sure, we can make soup the group needs to keep its energy up, especially the avatar"
Mikey nodded and looked through the bushes and trees till he found some shrubs. "This makes a good soup base. Its a bit plane but with all the stuff we'll be putting it it, it should be super good,"
"Lets see if Lexi will start a fire to get the water ready to add the ingredients" Alexa said picking some herbs from the ground to season the soup. Mikey nodded again and made his way back to the campsite with Alexa right behind him.
"Lexi, you shouldn't be pushing your firebending right now you are still hurt," Alexa said rushing to her friend.
"It's just bruising i'm fine," Lexi said, rolling her eyes.
"She should be trying to move." Mikey said quietly, "If she exercises at least a little, she won't be weaker when she heals. I learned that from my dad after I started my waterbending training." he added as he picked up the pots and pans from Kira's bag and setting them up.
"There's a difference between a little exercise but what she is doing is firebending she would use in a fight and her body isn't ready for that yet,"
"Alright alright, i'll just rest while the enemy could attack at anytime..."
Mikey scratched his head and bent the water in his bag into the pot and putting the stock in it. "Go ahead and get it boiling, I'm going to go get more water." he said as he walked back down to the river and left the two girls alone to talk. Lexi used her firebending to light the firewood and boil the water.
The Waterbender returned shortly after to find the girls talking, even laughing a little. He smiled at got the bag of vegetables and went through them. He looked at everything then looked at Alexa.
"Hey Alexa? What do think we should put in the mix?" He asked picking through the stock and stirring the boiling water.
"well depends... everyone has different preferences... like Lexi eats meat so... yea and if its a vegetable soup I'm not sure.." Alexa said rubbing her neck. Mikey sat back and thought.
"I still have wail-duck meat on me but its really blueberry, You can try it if you want. And Trixie, from the looks of everything she brings us, she's a vegetarian..."
"So why not make the soup with vegetables and whoever wants meat can go get it" she suggested.
Mikey nodded but he set out the wail-duck. "I case you do want it, Lexi. I was never a fan of it." He said as he got out the stuff and chopped up the vegetables and threw them into the pot.
Lexi poked at the strange meat, "Yeah I'm gonna go fish" she said sitting by the river.
Mikey nodded and sat by the pot and watched everything cook down.
"Man, this would be even better if we had some noodles to throw in," He said.
"maybe there is a town where we can get supplies, I've run low on bandages"
"Would you like me to check it out. If you don't mind watching the soup?" Mikey offered as he put his stuff back in a neat pile.
"It's okay as long as there are no other attacks until we reach a town" Lexi came back with a few fish on a stick and put the sticks close to the fire so the fish would cook.
"Okay, I'll be back pretty soon. I saw some med stores and food shops in Ba Sing Sei." Mikey said.
"That is a long walk back to the city"
Mikey stood for a second, then looked at Cinos. "Hey buddy!" he said scratching the wolf-cat behind the ears. "Hey if you run me into two, I'll feed you a slice of fumpkin!" Mikey said. Cinos perked his ears up and wagged his tail.
"Won't the uh-va-tar notice his pet is missing" lexi said biting into a fish.
"They won't be back before us!" Mikey said with a big smile, "We'll be gone and back before Jake and Kira get her,"
"Lets hope so"
Mikey hopped on Cinos' back and looked around, "Um, go? ... Run! ... Yeah!" Cinos didn't move.
"Hike-" Cinos took off before he could finish the word.
"He better be back i'm not dealing with a moody avatar" lexi said leaning against a tree.
An hour past, and No one came back. Finally the familiar heavy footsteps of Cinos came within earshot. Mikey hopped down from the wolf-cat with a large bag at his side.
"See?" He said, being with joy. "I got back before the Avatar. and I got plenty of bandages, and noodles!"
"Looks like the sun is going to set.. I wonder if Kira crushed uhvatar" Lexi said, "I kept watch last night someone else's turn"
"I'll do it," Mikey said after throwing the noodles in. Just then the bushes rustled and the two earthbenders returned.
"Whoa... Something smells good," Kira said,
"Guess he didn't crush him" lexi said while reheating one of her fish.
"Kira couldn't harm a fly even if he tried..." Jake said sitting next to cinos and patting him on the head.
"You say that cause I'm just going easy on you..." Kira replied.
"Having a hard time there uh-va-tar"
"No." Jake shot. "Worry about yourself..."
"calm down, dont be a jerkbender"
Mikey chuckled a little. "Jerkbender, that's a new one!" he said.
"I think the soup is done waterbender" Lexi said pointing to the boiling pot.
"I know, I know" Mikey said plucking the lid from the pot. He quickly bent the steam away so it didn't burn his face. He pulled a noodle out to check it, but gave a devilish grin, "Hey Jake!"
Jake looked and Mikey right as the noodle slapped onto his lip, giving him a mustache.
"I wouldn't push him he could go uhvatar state on you,"
Jake simply took the noodle off and gave it to Cinos who happily took the treat.
"Sorry, I don't think I'm going to lose my cool here..." Jake said picking up a bowel. "What is that, by the way?" he asked, out of a hint of curiosity and how good it smelled.
"It's soup Alexa and I threw together!" Mikey said with a grin.
"I pray to the spirits it tastes as good as it smells..." Jake said as he put some in his bowl. Mikey filled the bowls and passed them around, just in time for Trixie to come back with a small pouch of water.
"Hay something smells good," she said.
"That's what kira said too." Mikey laughed. he handed her a bowl and a spoon.
"It's just a veggie based noodle soup!" The waterbender said. "What do you think Jake?"
"I hate it." Jake said.
"Then why are you stuffing your face?"
"People who are hungry don't turn down free food" Lexi said getting up and walking towards the forest.
"No, I like it..." Jake said quietly, "Sorry, I'm just grumpy right now..."
Mikey smiled and looked at Lexi, "Where you going?"
"There's a shallow pool of water in the forest, I'm going to take a bath" she said over her shoulder.
"Oh okay." Mikey said as he ate his soup. Cinos was sniffing the air with a shine in his eyes. Kira rolled his eyes and gave him a bowel too.
"He'll eat anything you put infront of him won't he?" Trixie said with a cute smile.
"Yeah, most the time. He so picky though." Kira said.
"Well, looks like he loves Mikey and Alexa's soup,"
"Heh.. Mikey's the one who made it I just helped find the herbs"
"Yes, but the spices you picked out made it so good. I didn't even know about some of the things you added." the waterbender said with a grin.
"It's not much but I'm glad I could be of some help to the group..."
"Yea, thanks Alexa," Trixie said. "The salt and the spice bring out the pulp of the vegetables." Alexa nodded and sat back a little from the group hugging her knees.
Mikey gathers the dishes and washed everything before setting himself up and looking around. "Well... I have the night watch. I'll scream like a girl if that Darkfire guy comes back."
"I'm sure Lexi will end up taking the night shift so you should rest, that's just how she is"
"I'm going to at least try to stay up. I said I'd watch this time. If she comes back and stays up, I'll crash,"
"Oh she needs to change her bandage, I'll be right back" Alexa said grabbing her back and running off in the direction Lexi left in. Mikey smiled and watched the others fall asleep. Jake fed Cinos the last of the soup and Kira was already crashed. Trixie had snuggled into her white sleeping bag and he felt the tug of sleep tempt him. Mike shook his head and stayed up, and waiting for Lexi and Alexa to come back.
Alexa came back with her bag and sat near the fire.
Further off as you crossed the land the green life turned to a black wasteland. A mountain resembling a twisted castle stood.
"Could you hold still?" a black figure said.
"No, I will not!" came the shrieking voice of Darkfire. The black figure wrapping Darkfire's chest resembled a mummy, with black bandages and glowing red eyes. His white hair spilled out in strongly asymmetrical strands.
"If you plan on taking over Fire Nation and become the Firelord, you need to be at full health... This blind pursuit of the Avatar will be the end of you..."
"But the Avatar-"
"You can have the Avatar's head brought to you on a silver platter once you take the Fire Nation."
Darkfire glared, "Yes, but how do I take control with the girl I am to marry if she's run away..."
"The nation will have sent out their troops to find her..." The mummy man said.
"ACH! Hey! That still burns!" Darkfire screamed, gnashing his teeth.
"Well, I'm sorry, we do have drag a medical supplies..."
Darkfire glared darkly and turned to a picture frame. A burnt picture sealed inside of two kids playing. His eyes burned with blood red fury as he shot black flames all over the place. His servant ducked to avoid the dangerous blows.
"What is with you and that photo?"
Darkfire glared at him. "It was from my childhood. The one good thing that I ever had before it had to move away to the upper class world, all I have left of someone I used to be friends with..."
"Ah yes, back when you were Kerugarn-"
"Never mention that name again!"
He looked down, his eyes low, as his mind began to drift.
The following is a flashback
"I don't think I will ever be able to fire bend..." a red haired boy said as he sat on a sandy beach watching the waves wash over the rocks and sand.
"Sure you will," came the voice of a little girl from behind him, "you just have to try harder"
"Do you really think so, Lexi?"
"Sure you will! I'm not much older then you and I can firebend so there is no reason you can't, have more confidence in yourself"
The young boy smiled and got up. "You're right," he said looking off to where an old shack sat. "I wish Aunt Eleanor believed in me like you did, sometimes I think she hates having to watch me."
"Then come live with me dummy" Lexi said putting her hands on her hips.
"Are you sure your mom and dad wouldn't mind?" He asked.
"I'll hide you!" Lexi said grabbing his hand and dragging him off to her family's estate. They both laughed as they snuck around.
"Do you think I'd get accepted into a bending school some day if my bending got better?" He asked looking up at Lexi.
"Only if you're really good and train hard"
"Then that's what I'll do."
"I practice everyday, and soon I'll join the united forces and go on mind blowing adventures, I am special after all" Lexi said smirking confidently.
"You're going to be the best Fire Nation Soldier ever, Lexi." the young boy said. Lexi grinned and looked at him.
"Hey, I never really caught your name the other day, what is it?"
"I'm Kerugarn."
"Thats a weird name.." Lexi grinned.
"Yea, I know."
"Don't you get made fun of for it?"
"Some times but I know that my name has meaning, and it can't be taken away, or struck down."
"Oh yeah smart guy, what does it mean then"
"'Dragon's Fire'. My dad named me after a dragon and it's fire basically,"
"I thought dragons were all extinct for except maybe the original masters" Lexi said while opening her hand and looking at the blue flames in her hand.
"Yea, I heard there are other original masters, black dragons. I don't know if their real. But my aunt would tell stories of benders with black fire given to them by the dark original masters... I think its just a scary story though..."
"That's just an old story adults tell to scare kids, you shouldn't believe everything you hear, even if their was darkbenders, the fire lord or avatar Korra would have gotten rid of them, great grandmother once saw the avatar she said it was amazing"
"Yea I figured that's what would happen..." Kerugarn said looking down.
"The strongest bender that isn't an avatar is blue fire firebenders, the fire is hotter, even though people usually think of Azula when they think of that kind of power... But you know.. I think she went crazy because she was a prodigy and had to impress fire lord Ozai and not dishonor their family..."
"I think blue fire is beautiful."
"It's not that great, look" Lexi said before standing up and showing off her firebending, "its hard to control and deadly, especially lightning bending I'd rather be a non-bender"
"Why's that? Bending is something great, I think it was given to us to protect non-benders."
"What about bad benders, like blood-benders... Thats not protecting non-benders"
"Sometimes people just find ways to hurt others with their gifts..."
"Exactly, there's too many bad people in the world for bending to exist" Lexi said walking off. Kerugarn sighed and looked out across the ocean...
The sudden shock from the memory shot Darkfire into back into a wall. Holding his head as he glared at the photo. Slowly his expression changed as he stood upright.
"I had better pay the firelord a visit sometime soon..." he said as he stepped outside his realm of darkness. As he did, a disguised formed around him. His hair turning a rich cherry blonde and his eyes turning amber.
Lexi sat the pool of water, combing out her blond locks, "I still don't believe... Dark bending is a old story grandmother told to keep me in line" she said quietly sinking under the water to rinse out her hair. When she came back up, something had changed in the atmosphere. Someone or something was there with her. Her fists engulfed in fire, " Alright.. Show yourself"
The being stepped from the bushes and walked past. He didn't look at Lexi but something about his appearance make Lexi's mind go back to her childhood. She knew those cherry blond locks anywhere... She shook off the feeling and glared.
"Alright, I'll give you five seconds before I hurt you"
"You would hurt a Fire Nation Captain?" he said turning to look at her. His amber eyes burned into her blue eyes.
"I've studied every captain since I was a child...You're no captain I've ever seen before... Besides the youngest captain was Iroh before he became Fire Lord,"
"Oh well maybe I'm a newly ranked captain? I have the badge the prove it too. I'm Captain Kerugarn..." he said narrowing his eyes.
"Then why are you outside of Ba Sing Sei... There were not Military orders to be here..."
"There weren't? Sounds oddly familiar to they way I lost a close friend... But that's long and over... What ever... I'm heading back to the firelord to see if they've found the girl I've been pared with yet. I'm engaged, so if you don't mind... I best get back to him," Kerugarn said turning to leave again.
"THE FIRE LORD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT GIRL," Lexi yelled enraged at the young "soldier". He glared over his shoulder... Her turned slowly and cocked his head to one side.
"I know that fiery anger anywhere... Would your name just so happen to be 'Lexi Flame'?" He asked.
"No, no it isn't, besides I heard that girl is never returning to the fire nation... At least that was the rumor going around the city when I was there"
"You can't fool me Lexi..." Kerugarn said crossing his arms. "Don't you remember that ocean house where you hid me from your mom and dad... You were the reason I became a strong firebender, but you never stuck around to see me succeed at all... Instead you ran off with the rich kids and left me at the deserted beach."
"You're that boy... It isn't my fault I went to advanced firebending academies, it's not my fault my parents raised me to stay where they would know I was safe, you could've left the beach and done what you wanted, YOU choose your fate, not me," Lexi said while the water she stood in slowly began to boil due to lexi's temper.
"You're right..." he said, holding out his hand with a small ball of black flame. "I did chose my own fate... And the outcome has been fruitful..."
"You, you moved to Republic City, YOU abandoned me, I was always there, you got mad because I learned firebending faster, I never left, YOU did"
"If it meant that much then why didn't you stop me from leaving! After I worked so hard to become as good of a fire bender as you, I was offered a choice, to stay with you or become a better bender. I was never allowed to chose for myself that day. My aunt became obsessed with my bending, and you could say she 'fueled the flame' when she told me what Korra did to my mom and dad..."
"You became obsessed with your bending as soon as you could it was always, "I don't have time to play, I have to train" EVERY DAY, that's all that happened... You couldn't handle that I was and still am a better bender then you were or will ever be... Your heart darkened just like the fire you bend..." Lexi said turning her back to him, mainly to hide her crying
"I will make things right between us..." Kerugarn said darkly, "When the Avatar has breathed his last breath, I'll show you how to control black fire as I have learned."
"You forget old friend... I am training the avatar... I protect him.. I will not allow harm to come to him, keep your black fire.. it's not the type of bending that counts... It's the person who bends... Never forget that I am the prodigy, you got lucky..."
Kerugarn's disguise was melting away to Darkfire, his dark flames lining his arms and legs. He looked like he was about to attack. But the horrific sound of every cell in his body freezing stopped him. His eyes rolled back and he let out a silent scream. The crystal eyes moved up to see a full moon. A bloodbender was near.
In that single moment, Lexi and Darkfire's minds went back in time. A boat departing from Fire nation and a young girl running down the dock. Tears steaming as she watched the ship leave with a boy leaning over the rail, staring back at her. A single tear escaped the amber eyes.
The sound of bones cracked ripped them both back to reality, and Darkfire was forced to his knees, allowing Lexi to see the bloodbender just behind him. She froze.
"Mikey..."
The waterbenders eyes were filled with hate and anger. "You rat!" He screamed. "After everything she gave you... After she just gave you her heart, you left her! You took what was truth and turned it right back at her, trying to blame her for YOUR pain!" Clearly, Mikey cared about Lexi, but was too moved, he couldn't think clearly.
"You should be ashamed! Get out of here, if I see you come near Jake, or Lexi, I WILL BEND YOUR ARMS OFF!" he shouted as he released Darkfire. The darkbender immediately retreated into his black flames that took him far away. Mikey stood there for a second. Breather head.
Then the shock hit him, his eyes wide as he stared at Lexi. Tears streamed down his face as her cover his eyes.
"No.. No, I'm so sorry!" he said as he turned and ran.
"DONT... don't go.." Lexi sniffled shaking, "You have to warn Jake... He's gonna go after the fire lord... I... I have to stop him"
"I can't be trusted..." Mikey said quietly, "You saw, you saw me! I'm a monster. I can't let anyone know I'm a bloodbender." Lexi lunged at him and clung to him.
"Don't leave me here" she said crying into the waterbenders chest. Mikey looked down at her, surprised she had opened up to him. "He was my friend... But it's my fault... I should have run faster to get to the boat... I shouldn't have let him go crazy with his bending.. It was my job to take care of him and I failed... If I can't do that how am I supposed to protect and train the uh-va-tar" she muttered.
"It's not your fault, Lexi... Darkfire wanted to become a powerfull bender, and his lust for that power changed him... If there's anything left of Kerugarn in that cold shell... We'll get him back somehow..." Mikey said as he picked up a towel and wrapped it around Lexi to cover her.
"We can't get him back... That's the power of dark bending... It corrupts your heart... I learned about darkbending at the academy... I would have to destroy him to save him from it... we have to warn the fire lord..."
Mikey nodded slowly and looked at her. "Lexi... Please don't tell the others... That I'm a bloodbender... I don't want to dishonor my father..."
"Y..You saved my life... There is nothing dishonorable about that,"
"I know it's just... When my father discovered me and my sister could bloodbend. He told us to never pursue it... My sister trained secretly, I caught on naturally... One day my sister was arrested for killing someone with her bending... I promised myself, I'd never hurt someone with my power."
"But don't you think atleast Jake should know..." Lexi said picking up her clothes from the ground.
"I'm not sure. He already doesn't trust me, I've seen the way he glares at me. I'll tell him when I think he should really know. For now, let's tell the others what Darkfire is up to..."
"He doesn't distrust you... He's like I am he's not being thrown with a bunch of strangers... Okay?"
"Okay..." Mikey said quietly looking down. The pair walked back to the camp and woke the others.
"I think we need to go to the fire nation from here..." Lexi said before relighting the fire.
"Are you sure?" Kira asked, rubbing his eyes. He looked like he wasn't a 'wake up at three in the morning' guy. Trixie and Jake looked sleepy too, but Jake seemed more alive when Lexi said they needed to go to the fire nation.
"Yes.. I fear someone may try and overthrow the fire lord... I won't let that happen" Lexi said darkly.
"Okay... We'll leave first thing in the morning..." Kira said yawning.
"No, we should leave now!" Mikey said.
"Boats don't come in or out till morning..."
"Then I will waterbend us there!"
"No...I should do this alone... I started this I'm going to finish it" Lexi said grabbing her bag, "I'll train the avatar when I get back... My nation comes first" she said starting to walk off.
"Lexi..." Mikey said quietly watching her go.
"You have to do what alone?" Jake asked quietly.
"Protect the Fire Lord,"
"Lexi you don't really think you can just leave me behind," Alexa said holding her bag over her shoulder smiling at her friend, "Whether you like it or not, we are all a team and if we lose you the Avatar can't finish his training."
"Alexa..."
Cinos had come over to Lexi and placed his muzzle in her hand, wagging his tail.
"Alexa is right," Trixie said getting up and packing her things. Slowly but surely, Kira and Jake did the same.
"You guys...It's dangerous what I'm going to do..."
"Well then it's a long journey you can train the avatar on the way" Alexa said patting her friend's shoulder.
Jake picked up everyone's packs and placed them on hooks on Cinos' saddle.
"Fine just don't get in my way" Lexi said smiling while looking down
Everyone nodded and the new Team Avatar made their way down the life changing road they chose to walk.
